Nathan had recorded the song a couple times before. Nathan's 1935 recording "One Step de Lacassine" with the Rayne Bo Ramblers for Bluebird is similar in melody. In 1949 he recorded it for the O.T. label, then again in 1960 for Khoury's. In 1951, he tried to recreate his success with the recording "Pine Grove Blues #2" on Khoury's label (#611) to no success.
In 1959, Nathan Left Khoury's and signed with J.D. Miller's Cajun Classics in Crowley. J.D. Miller saw the demand for cajun releases.
In 1946 he opened his recording studio in Crowley. He started the Fais Do Do label then Feature. In 1959 he started a new label called Cajun Classics focusing on cajun releases. A year later he started Kajun.
He recorded 2 sides for Miller's Cajun Classics label. In 1960 he released a string of new sides on Miller's Kajun label. These recordings from 1960 to 1964 represent some of the best of Nathan's middle period work.
This version of the Pine Grove Boys included Ed Juneau, Junior Benoit, Robert Bertrand, Darius LeBlanc and Thomas Langley.
They recorded some new songs but ended the session with a new upbeat version of "Pine Grove Blues". Out of all the versions he recorded of the song, it seems this is the one people remember more.
By the 1960's rock and roll had moved in and its influence can be felt on a number of the late 50's and 1960's cajun recordings. But on this recording, Nathan had a modern Cajun band lineup to go along with his stunning accordion work. Miller's productions during this era seems have a unique sound to them as evidenced in his cajun and blues recordings from this era.
The song appears in 1967 for Swallow, in 1970 for a field recording in New York, in 1972 and in 1978 for La Louisiane.
In 1978 the Flyrite label released a collection of Nathan's Kajun recordings. Nathan Abshire and the Pinegrove Boys- The Legendary Jay Miller Sessions Volume 13 can still be found online and is must for cajun music listerners.
Resources
Early Cajun Music Blog
John Broven- South To Louisiana
Mais, what's dis all bout?
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